Bukavu, our home town is at 30 km of distance to the Kahuzi-Biega National Park where you can see the Grauer’s gorillas. It’s the capital of the South Kivu Province. It is a hilly town facing Lake Kivu with a beautiful view. It was built in the 1901 by the Belgian authorities with a name
New Trees Bring new Hope for Gorillas and People
Last week I was invited to a tree planting ceremony at a community in Kalehe Territory, South Kivu. The community is one of many that borders the Kahuzi Biega National Park, one of the last refuges of the endangered eastern lowland gorilla. Like most of the small towns and villages dotted throughout this part of
Keeping Our Gorillas Safe and Healthy!
A few couple of days ago I went to track gorillas at the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, which is located in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park currently holds 9 gorilla families of which 2 are open to tourists, who are always welcome at Kahuzi-Biega as the ongoing tourism aids the
The Tea Plantation: a Buffer Zone
There is no proper buffer zone between the Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the surrounding communities. This is one of the reasons why there are some conflicts between the park management and some local residents. But interestingly, there are some small patches of green areas, extending to about five kilometers long, that are beautifully maintained by
Juichi Yamagiwa and Ian Redmond Visited Kahuzi-Biega
Professor Juichi Yamagiwa at Kyoto University, the member of honor of the Pole Pole Foundation, recently visited the Kahuzi-Biega National Park as it is his annual custom for over three decades. He loves the eastern lowland gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) and he is the single primatologist who contributed a lot of scientific papers about this
Pili-Pili – the Unsung Hero of Gorilla Conservation
I want to introduce you to Pili-Pili. He is truly one of the unsung heroes of gorilla conservation. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Kahuzi Biega National Park you will meet Pili-Pili at the Tshivanga station – the entrance to the park. It is here that Pili-Pili greets visitors and shares his knowledge